Tag: Portrait

1395. Upfest 2017 (152)

Following directly on from my post of Hannah Adamaszek and Saroj, here is another all female collaboration from last year’s Upfest between Kler and So Free So. Once more I feel lucky to see the work of two more artists relatively unknown to me.

Kler and So Free So, Upfest, Bristol, JUly 2017
Kler and So Free So, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

This collaboration works so well with two very different styles using similar colours to create two distinct female portraits. The portrait on the left is by Kler, from Barcelona, where she sprays on the legal walls. A former designer, she now travels widely for street art festivals. Her piece here at Upfest is a triumph.

Kler and So Free So, Upfest, Bristol, JUly 2017
Kler and So Free So, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

So Free So is a Swiss graphic designer who also does a lot of street work. She tries to convey emotions in her pieces, and the shadowy eyes and mouth in this work are part of this inner exposure. She has collaborated with Kler on several occasions, and on researching her for this post, it turns out I have seen their work before at Upfest. So Free So’s website is really well worth a look.

Kier, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016
Kler and So Free So, Upfest, Bristol, July 2016

1366. Upfest 2017 (145)

It was impossible to ignore this extraordinary face by Rast ot Upfest 2017. Situated on the long hoardings at Ashton Gate, the bright colours and striking face drew you in.

Rast, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Rast, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

Originally from Spain, Rast has been living in Bristol in 2014. I must say that I have not come across his work before, but surely would lioke to see more of it in the various locations around Bristol that I vsist.

Rast, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Rast, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

1364. Upfest 2017 (143)

This unusual and rather haunting portrait, on the hoardings in Raleigh Road, is by the amazing Wasp Elder.

Wasp Elder, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Wasp Elder, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

Rather than try to write something clever about his style, that I am not over-familiar with, I thought I’d quote his biography straight from the Upfest programme, because it so perfectly describes what is going on in this picture.

‘Wasp Elder paints pictures populated by enigmatic souls and unstressed backgrounds, enticing a sentiment of an obscure journey.

His drawings, paintings and films present an evocative combination of solitary figures, collaged scenes, close-ups, obscured features, and potential catastrophe.’

Wasp Elder, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Wasp Elder, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

It is a fine piece and was in stark contrast to the rather more lighthearted pieces on the rest of this hoarding, lending weight to the wonderful diversity of street art. I like this a lot.

 

 

1351. Upfest 2017 (137)

The very first post I wrote from Upfest 2017 was this piece by Apset and Ionas, a couple of Greek artists who had arrived in Bristol but had not been allocated a wall. The sprayed a wall in Dean Lane skate park, but then got very lucky and managed to find a hoarding in South Street Park where they produced this fine piece.

Apset and Ionas, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Apset and Ionas, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

Both of their Upfest works incorporated an animal paired with a portrait. I think that the animals are by Ionas and portraits by Apset. Both works are great collaborations and something a bit different.

Apset and Ionas, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Apset and Ionas, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

I hope that they are coming back this year, and that if they do, that they get allocated a spot, without having to agonise too much. A much needed little ray of Thessaloniki sunshine at a damp Bristol Upfest.

Apset and Ionas, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Apset and Ionas, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

1350. Upfest 2017 (136)

Really, this is one of my favourite pieces from the whole of Upfest 2017, not only because of the quality of work, but because of the cheerful resilience of the artists in persevering with their work in spite if the inclement weather.

N4T4 and Philth, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
N4T4 and Philth, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

A fine collaboration between N4T4 and Philth which really brightened up the walk between North Street and Ashton Gate.

N4T4 and Philth, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
N4T4 and Philth, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

These two artists have painted together at the last three Upfests, and although not a true collaboration, their pieces complement each other perfectly.

N4T4 and Philth, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
N4T4 and Philth, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

I walked past these two a few times, and took my favourite picture of the festival (above) of them cheerfully painting in the rain. Such dedication.

N4T4 and Philth, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
N4T4 and Philth, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

The N4T4 piece on the left is a wonderful example of his portrait style, incorporating colours and shapes which combine to make the whole. A blast of exquisite colour and a stunning face.

N4T4 and Philth, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
N4T4 and Philth, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

Contrast this then with the grey scale portrait by Philth on the right. He is as well known for his floral designs as he is for his portraits and this piece is overflowing with flowers that lift the piece to another level.

i absolutely love this wall. Beautiful.

 

 

1344. The Bearpit (123)

Once again I have been doing a little bit of cleaning up of my archives, and I came across this rather unusual Kid Crayon piece from Kid Crayon last July. I am finding that Bristol art from July is often under-represented in my posts, because they get hijacked by Upfest and will remain unshared and unloved in my July folder.

Kid Crayon, The Bearpit, Bristol, July 2017
Kid Crayon, The Bearpit, Bristol, July 2017

This piece reminds me very much of the wheatpastes he used to do and which I used to take great pleasure in hunting down when I first became interested in all this malarkey. A classic Kid Crayon work.

1302. St Werburghs tunnel (16)

The turnover of work in St Werburghs tunnel is quite eye-watering. I don’t visit very often, but every time I go, pretty much everything is new. I went down there deliberately this time to find this piece by Hazard.

Hazard, St Werburghs tunnel, Bristol, January 2018
Hazard, St Werburghs tunnel, Bristol, January 2018

It is hard not to be utterly captivated by her work (hers is on the right) which usually features a female portrait, either face on or profile, with beautifully ornate hair and head decorations.

Hazard, St Werburghs tunnel, Bristol, January 2018
Hazard, St Werburghs tunnel, Bristol, January 2018

I am not too sure who the piece on the left is by, but the contrast in styles is really interesting and in fact both work quite well together. I’m not sure that this was a collaboration, but I might be wrong. A fine piece.

There is a comment below from Tasha Bee who painted the lady on the left, she says it was a collaboration, and seeing the joint signature now, it all seems obvious.

1294. Upfest 2017 (128)

There is no way that these photographs do this extraordinary multi-layer stencil justice. The subtle layering and shading in the piece are so skilfully prepared and executed. This is a technical marvel by a lovely artist called P0G0 who produced one of the most memorable pieces of Upfest 2017.

P0G0, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
P0G0, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

The greyscale piece is offset by the scarlet fingernails of the subject and to finish the piece off P0G0 has added some hexagons in pastel shades…again in contrast with the rest of the piece.

P0G0, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
P0G0, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

P0G0 is one of the true gentlemen of the street art world, a warm and humble fellow who was happy to chat for a long while and who agreed to do an interview with me. Because his written English is not too good, he said he would be happier to do a face-to-face interview, but the logistics of doing so are tricky. So maybe a telephone interview would be best or perhaps I can grab him for half an hour if he makes it to Upfest 2018. A memorable piece and artist.

1268. M32 roundabout J3 (62)

This is a really unusual piece, especially for the M32 roundabout, but it has managed to stand the test of time very well. It is by an artist called Artezes (Cesar perales). I cannot find out much about the artist except that he visited Bristol in August 2017 and left a couple of lovely pieces of which this is one.

Artezes (Cesar Perales), M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2017
Artezes (Cesar Perales), M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2017

I would describe this piece as fine art street art – it feels as though the artist has had a classical training and then taken to the streets…only a feeling. Another artist who has done this is Bristol’s very own Tom Miller.

Artezes (Cesar Perales), M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2017
Artezes (Cesar Perales), M32 roundabout, Bristol, September 2017

The subject for this piece is really interesting, and the hot cup of coffee has something magical about it, drawing the eye up towards the purple steam. This is a wonderful work by an irritatingly obscure artist.

1204. Upfest 2017 (14)

Surely one of the most endearing and sympathetic partnerships is that between Copyright and Gemma Compton. At this year’s Upfest these two produced this beautiful collaboration in the very busy yard behind the Steam Crane.

Gemma Compton and Copyright, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Gemma Compton and Copyright, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

I met them on the Friday, when they were able to make a really good start before the festival started on the Saturday – I think it ws a wise choice as this pub gets incredibly busy.

Gemma Compton and Copyright, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Gemma Compton and Copyright, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

In this piece, so typical of their collaborations, Copyright stencilled the female figures and Gemma Compton created the intricate butterfly wings in her favoured blue tones. The piece as a whole fills this slightly awkward space brilliantly and the eye is drawn along from left to right and back, scrutinising the symmetry of the piece.

Gemma Compton and Copyright, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Gemma Compton and Copyright, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

The couple managed to dodge the showers and the crowds to pull off one of the best pieces of the festival and one that screams out Bristol from every inch. Both of these artists produce wonderful artworks for sale, marginally outside my affordability although I might just have to save up – how great it would be to have some of their originals hanging up at home.

Gemma Compton and Copyright, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017
Gemma Compton and Copyright, Upfest, Bristol, July 2017

Not only do I like their work, but I like both of the artists. They are always happy to have a chat and don’t appear to mind me bothering them when they are at work. Probably my next interview targets.